Etymologically
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pecu

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Pronunciation

  • IPA (Classical): [ˈpɛ.kuː], [ˈpɛ.kʊ][1]
  • IPA (Ecclesiastical): [ˈpɛː.ku][1]

Forms

pecū̆ n (genitive pecūs or pecū); fourth declension[1]

Etymology

It is inherited from Proto-Italic *peku-, inherited from Proto-Indo-European *peḱ-u- (“cattle”), from the root Proto-Indo-European *peḱ- (“to pluck, fleece”).[2][1][3] Cognate with Umbrian pequo (“cattle”), Sanskrit पशु (paśú, “cattle”), Avestan pasu- (“cattle”), Lithuanian pẽkus, Gothic 𐍆𐌰𐌹𐌷𐌿 (faihu, “property”) and Old English feoh (“cattle, wealth”).[2][4][1] The origin of the long final /ū/ is uncertain.[2] pecus “cattle” is the s-stem from the same root.[2][1]

Earliest recorded meaning

De Vaan dates it from Naevius, who speaks of men, herds and beasts.[2][4] Köbler dates Naevius c. 235–200 BC.[3]

Semantic evolution

In the singular it meant a flock or herd, as Plautus' shepherd who sleeps while his sheep stray bleating from the flock.[4] The plural pecua meant farm animals, livestock, as in Plautus, Cato and Lucretius.[4][5] It was mostly an early word, with a dative pecuī in Lucilius.[5]

From it came pecūnia “money”, probably from an adjective *pecūnus “rich in cattle”, and pecūlium “private property”.[2]

Timeline

  • c. 235–200 BC – Naevius uses the plural pecua.[4][3]
  • c. 250–184 BC – Plautus uses it of a flock of sheep.[4][3]
  • 96–55 BC – Lucretius has the dative plural pecubus.[5][3]

Meanings

Noun

  1. A flock, herd.[4]
  2. (plural) Farm animals, livestock.[4]

Word family

  • pecuārius
  • pecuatus
  • pecuīnus
  • pecūnia
  • dēpecūlātor
  • dēpecūlātus
  • dēpecūlor
  • pecuālis
  • pecuāsco
  • pecūlātor
  • pecūlātōrius
  • pecūlātus
  • pecorālis
  • pecorārius
  • pecorōsus
  • pecudālis
  • pecudifer
  • pecus
  • pecusculum
  • pectō
  • English pecuniary
  • English fee

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e f de Vaan, Michiel (2008), Etymological Dictionary of Latin and the other Italic Languages, Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series 7, Leiden; Boston: Brill
  3. ^ a b c d e Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
  4. ^ a b c d e f g h Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
  5. ^ a b c Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press